Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merida

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,233 in Merida, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,944 in Merida, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,655 in Merida, rent included.

Phuket costs about 3% more than Merida, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Phuket and Merida are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Merida 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$10.73 MX$186

-56.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$49.93 MX$865

-9.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.02 MX$139

5.11%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.63 MX$63.0

-19.28%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.17 MX$20.28

-41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.11 MX$19.16

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.86 MX$49.49

-15.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.93 MX$68.0

-5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.38 MX$23.84

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.60 MX$45.10

-29.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.54 MX$26.75

40.91%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.99 MX$34.43

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.35 MX$179

90.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.95 MX$120

-47.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.16 MX$193

21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.78 MX$48.11

17.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.36 MX$23.57

18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.18 MX$37.76

10.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.79 MX$31.10

16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$2.09 MX$36.27

-26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.95 MX$33.71

-24.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.04 MX$18.06

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.98 MX$17.02

-47.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.25 MX$73.7

3.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.42 MX$198

69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.36 MX$23.64

30.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.82 MX$48.88

-3.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.65 MX$11.21

110.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$19.00 MX$329

-40.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.39 MX$41.48

26.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$3.38 MX$58.5

-70.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.55 MX$114

115.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.31 MX$22.69

3.82%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$15.7K MX$272.3K

79.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.7K MX$375.3K

51.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$122 ฿3,978

$82.9 MX$1,437

46.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿444

$23.14 MX$401

-41.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$28.69 MX$497

-36.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$28.67 MX$497

110.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$13.93 MX$241

23.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.60 MX$79.8

88.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$693 ฿22.7K

$390 MX$6,756

77.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$3,468 MX$60.1K

352.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$55.6 MX$963

7.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$47.85 MX$829

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$91.9 MX$1,593

24.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$83.3 MX$1,444

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$502 MX$8,691

22.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$432 MX$7,490

1.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,056 MX$18.3K

98.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$799 MX$13.9K

88.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$2,385 MX$41.3K

57.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$1,327 MX$23.0K

97.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$626 MX$10.9K

-18.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.68

-54.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Merida: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $502 in Merida. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 23% higher in Merida, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $50.0 in Merida. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $254 in Merida – so Merida wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Merida: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,849 in Merida. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Merida, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $390 in Merida. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Merida, where all-in costs run around $1,233, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Merida it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Merida – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Merida. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.